A federal appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that found President Donald Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship unconstitutional.
The decision keeps in place an injunction that stops the administration from enforcing any policy changes related to citizenship for individuals born in the United States to non-citizen parents.
President Trump announced plans to end automatic citizenship as part of his immigration policy agenda. The administration argued that birthright citizenship encourages illegal immigration and places strain on national resources. The courts, however, ruled that the Constitution protects this right.
The 14th Amendment states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens of the country and of the state where they reside.
A lower federal court issued the initial ruling halting the administration’s plan, stating that the president cannot change a constitutional guarantee through an executive order.